Saturday, September 25, 2010

Edit: apparently, according to Sportsnet, the Canucks have also placed defensemen Nolan Baumgartner and Sean Zimmerman on waivers. Zimmerman I know nothing about, so he likely deserved it, but for Baumgartner, well, my heart goes out to him. Baumer is a great team guy with the skill set of an all-star--unfortunately, an AHL all-star. He's also a savvy veteran, so he kind of saw this coming, but nobody likes to predict their own demise. His consolation prize is the captaincy in Manitoba, but you've got to think he'd trade it in for a longer sniff of the big leagues. His other consolation prize? He and Wade Redden can meet up at that Burger King in Hartford way more often now.

According to Kristin Reid's Twitter, The Canucks have made one cut this Saturday, sending defenseman Taylor Ellington back to Manitoba. If, like me, you forgot that Taylor Ellington was even at training camp, you're not alone. The Canucks management felt the same way, which is why he's been sent down. But let's not be too hard on the kid. Ellington is still young, and it's not his fault that he was selected in the Draft of Many Tears (an accurate name for Dave Nonis's 2007 prospect selections), or that his game was a lot more tailor-made (pun resisted) for the old NHL than the new one. Ellington is an unflashy, bank-it-off-the-glass sort of defenceman, and he's going to have a hard time standing out in a training camp guys the likes of Lee Sweatt, Kevin Connauton, and Chris Tanev, who aren't allergic to the puck. There's still a place for a player of Ellington's ilk, but he needs to be absolutely rock-solid and a lot more hitty to be an NHLer. Ellington isn't there yet, which is why he isn't here now; he'll likely be a shutdown defenseman for the Moose this season.

I had no idea people were that passionate about Nolan Baumgartner. Of course, since Baumgartner has won neither a Stanley Cup nor a Norris Trophy, I'm pretty sure you're either being sarcastic or you're thinking of someone else entirely.

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